Make SEO, SEM and SMM Easier to Understand

Talking about my job isn't always easy sometimes.

“So, what do you do?” I was asked the other day. “Oh, I do Internet marketing,” I responded. The conversation then went something like this:

“Oh, cool. Do you do SEO?”

“Yeah! You know about SEO?”

“It's where you get people to go to your website, right?”

“Well, kinda.”

The Internet marketing alphabet soup – SEO, SEM and the new SMM – can be understandably difficult to understand. Each piece interacts with the others, and the process doesn't work unless all three pieces run smoothly together. Without a properly optimized (SEO) website, you can't get search engines (SEM) to find it and without that, people won't discuss (SMM) it on Facebook or Twitter.

Here's how I tend to think about the three:

SEO = Smashing Every Obstacle

The basic premise behind search engine optimization is to get your site prepared to be found on search engines. Sounds easy enough, right? Depending on the product or service, you could be facing some hefty competition (obstacles) to people finding you. How do you break through these obstacles? Have your website optimized with great content and the right keywords. Your SEO is sure to be an optimization masterpiece and an obstacle smasher.

SEM = Sending Everyone to Me

SEO is merely the first step. The second part is to get the word out with some search engine marketing. This should be all about getting your message out there, telling your audience about the products and services you have to offer. In doing this, it's all about getting traffic to your website, as more traffic leads usually to more sales. And you do this with great SEM that is all about sending everyone to you.

SMM = Social Means More

I've had many tell me, “I have a Facebook/Twitter account, but I have nothing interesting to say, so I don't use it.” They're missing on the monetary rewards associated with great social media marketing. Having an account is only one part: using it reaps the rewards. Your fans and followers might be discussing you, so why not jump in? The more engaging you are, the better the chance you'll have at turning those fans into repeat buyers.